Numerous animal foods are well-known in the art. For canines, foods adapted to a canine's age or size can be found on the market. For example, canine foods intended for puppies, adult, and senior canines are well known and available for purchase at most retail outlets that sell dog foods. Similarly, canine foods intended for overweight canines or canines with particular conditions or diseases are known. U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,355 discloses foods that are designed for specific canine breeds. There are, however, variables other than age, size, and heath that distinguish canines of different breeds and affect their food requirements.
For example, the influence of breed, body weight, age, and gender on energy requirements has been investigated. The results show that some animals having the same body weight have very different energy requirements. Other studies have shown that age-related changes are observed in the metabolism and body composition of papillons, labrador retrievers, and great danes and that these changes affect life expectancy. Studies have shown that some differences exist in terms of body composition and resting metabolic rate and that these differences are independent of body weight. For example, feeding care will differ between a 30 kilogram (kg) labrador and a 30 kg greyhound of the same age and gender and living in the same environmental conditions because their genetic backgrounds are different and these differences result in different metabolisms and body compositions. For example, the greyhound might require more energy per kg of ideal body weight (Kcal per day=150×Kg Body Weight0.75) to stay in ideal body condition and the labrador might require less energy (Kcal per day=110×Kg Body Weight0.75).
These known foods are useful for a variety of purposes. However, the selection of a particular food for an individual dog or class of dog is often confusing. The consumer must determine the class and type of the dog and select from foods, none of which may be designed for the particular animal that will consume the food. There is, therefore, a need for new methods and compositions that overcome these issues.